Wikimedia Apps/Team/Why apps

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Wikipedia has a very functional and actively-developed mobile web version of the site, so you might be inclined to wonder, "What's the benefit of having native apps, when I can simply access Wikipedia from my mobile browser?" Glad you asked!

Here in the Mobile Apps team, we believe that mobile users deserve the most seamless and integrated experience for interacting with Wikipedia content.

Whether it's looking up random facts, or performing in-depth research on a particular subject, there are plenty of features, and plenty of functionality, that is simply impossible to accomplish using a web-based interface, and that's where our apps come in:

Native apps allow Wikipedia content to be presented to the user at native speed, and allow user interface elements that respond to the user's gestures just like any other part of the mobile operating system. An example of this is swiping to close a menu; this feels natural to you, but it's actually only possible in the browser through Javascript hacks, and even then only on phones and browsers that support Javascript. With a native app, these kinds of gestures are not only possible, but expected. The user feels at home when using the app, and the app looks like it "belongs" with the ecosystem of the other apps on the user's device.

Imagine a widget on the home screen of your device that automatically presents you with suggestions for Wikipedia articles to read, based on your past preferences. Or a widget that shows you trending news, and Wikipedia articles related to the subjects of the news.

Imagine a notification that automatically appears on your device that informs you that someone has edited an article that is on your watch list. Or a notification that an important holiday is coming up, complete with a link to the Wikipedia article for the holiday, so that you don't embarrass yourself in front of your fiancé's parents by not knowing the proper customs.

Ever wanted to reimagine how Wikipedia works, and is presented to users? The mobile apps make this possible.

Since the user base of our mobile apps is still relatively small, we feel that we have a real opportunity to make some bold moves in terms of design and presentation. The native apps are in the process of redefining how the user interacts with Wikipedia articles, and how the articles and their associated media are presented to the user.